Act East and Northeast: Prospects and Challenges

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1 Two Day National Seminar on Act East and Northeast: Prospects and Challenges organized by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies (MAKAIAS), Kolkata and Department of Political Science, Assam University, Silchar March 12 and 13, 2019 at Department of Political Science, Assam University, Silchar

2 CHIEF PATRON Prof. Sujit K Ghosh, Chairman, MAKAIAS, Kolkata PATRON Prof. Dilip Chandra Nath, Vice Chancellor, Assam University, Silchar PROGRAMME COORDINATOR Prof. Joyati Bhattacharya, Department of Political Science, Assam University ABOUT THE SEMINAR Act East And Northeast: Prospects and Challenges In the early 1990s there was a marked shift in India s foreign policy and the idea of the Look East Policy (LEP) was contemplated. Many believed that the policy would not only open a new horizon in India s foreign policy relations in the post-90s era but would also initiate and generate new avenues of development for the otherwise backward and landlocked North-eastern region of India. It was also believed that enhanced trade relations and free markets with Southeast Asia will in course time end insurgency and ethnic conflict and would usher an atmosphere of peace and tranquility in Northeast. However, things did not move in the direction as it was expected. As successive governments looked east, Northeast was overlooked. Under the present NDA regime, Look East policy was given a new lease of life. The renaming of the policy from Look East to Act East, the creation of Public Diplomacy Division of the Ministry of External Affairs and the opening of its branch office in Guwahati seem to have been initiating the process to address the aspirations of the people of the region. So far, the LEP s success in empowering Northeast India and making its residents stakeholders is marginal. However, the prospect seems to be bright under the present Act East Policy. What is required is concerted effort and interaction among the central government, the state government and the civil society to earn dividends for Northeast. A clear-cut vision is necessary to make Northeast India a complementary partner in India s AEP rather than a mere corridor to link Southeast Asia. SUB-THEMES OF THE SEMINAR India s Look-East Policy: Origin and Evolution Northeast and Look east: Problems and Prospects Look East to Act East: Continuity and Change North East India and ASEAN: Connectivity, Transit and Trade Facilitation Measures Northeast of past, present and future Act East Policy: Changing contours of India s Foreign Policy Regional Economic co-operation: Possibilities For Northeast Impact of globalization on LEP Role of China and the U.S

3 EXPECTED SPEAKERS IN THE SEMINAR Prof. S.D. Muni, Professor Emeritus, JNU and Member, Executive Council, IDSA (Key Note Speaker) Prof. Samir Das, University of Calcutta Prof. Sabyasachi Basu Ray Choudhury, Vice Chancellor, Rabindra Bharati University Prof. Monirul Hussain, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi Prof. Lipi Ghosh, University of Calcutta ABOUT MAKAIAS The Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies (MAKAIAS) is an autonomous research institute set up by the joint initiative of the Government of India, Department of culture, Ministry of Human Resource Development and the Government of West Bengal in It is devoted to the study of the life and works of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, and to promote research with special reference to South Asia, Central Asia and West Asia, and its social, cultural, economic, political and administrative developments. ABOUT ASSAM UNIVERSITY AND POLITICAL SCIENCE DEPARTMENT Assam University (established by an act of parliament in 1989) came into existence in January 21, It has two campuses Silchar and Diphu. Silchar campus is located at Dargakona, 20 kilometres away from Silchar town and 45 kilometres away from the airport. The campus of the university, spreading over 600 acres of land, is surrounded by lush green hillocks, natural lakes and picturesque tea gardens. At present, there are 16 schools and 41 Departments in the university. In 26 years of its existence, the university has undergone NAAC accreditation twice, participated in NIRF ranking and India Today s ranking of universities and institutes and has made impressive stride to establish itself as an important institution of higher learning. Department of Political Science, under the Jadunath Sarkar School of Social Sciences, was eastablished in the year The Department started its journey with one faculty and 77 students in Ghungur campus in Silchar. Besides the post-graduate course, the Department offers M.Phil and Ph.D programmes. Current faculty strength of the Department stands at 11.

4 CALL FOR PAPERS AND REGISTRATION Teachers, professionals, research scholars and PG students are invited to contribute papers. An abstract of 300 words with filled in registration form should reach the coordinator of the seminar by February 28, 2019 in the mentioned in Address for Correspondence. Payment of Registration Fees is to be made either in cash or by DD/Cheque/NEFT in favour of Joyati Bhattacharjee, Central Bank of India, Silchar, A/C No: , IFSC CODE: CBIN , MICR Code: REGISTRATION FEE Teachers/Professionals Rs. 1200/- Research Scholars Rs. 600/- Post Graduate Students Rs. 300/- This fee shall include seminar kit, refreshment and working lunch. SEMINAR VENUE Bipin Chandra Paul Auditorium and Conference Hall, Department of Political Science, Assam University ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE Prof. Joyati Bhattacharya, Department of Political Science Assam University, Silchar , Mobile: ID: IMPORTANT DATES Last Date for Abstract Submission: February 28, 2019 Last Date for Submission of Registration Form and Registration Fees: February 28, 2019 Dates of Seminar: March 12 and 13, 2019 IMPORTANT NOTE All communication to the applicants will be made via . Full paper may be submitted on the day of presentation of the paper.

5 National Seminar on Act East and Northeast: Prospects and Challenges 12 th and 13 th March, 2019 Organized by Department of Political Science, Assam University, Silchar REGISTRATION FORM 1. Name: 2. Gender: (i) Male (ii) Female (iii) Transgender 3. Address of Correspondence: Mobile no. 6. Affiliating Department and Institution: 7. Are you employed? (i) Yes (ii) No If yes, your designation and institution 8. Are you presenting a paper in the seminar? (i) Yes (ii) No If Yes, provide the title of your paper 9. Amount of fees paid 10 (i) Mode of payment (ii) Transaction no. (Cheque no./rtgs/neft) 10. Food preference (i) Veg (ii) Non-Veg The information provided above is true to the best of my knowledge. Date: (Signature of the Applicant)